Party time!

Well, we hurried home from our trip to Minneapolis, suffered through a couple of days at work, then got ready for some good fun birthday partying on Saturday!

Yay, Brody's 2nd birthday party!

the boys helped get ready some rainbow cupcakes the night before!

pretend cheesers

a few getting started

all the fixin's!

bakey bakey

turned out a little too pastel-y for my liking. MORE COLOR next time!

We decided to get a bouncy house and cross our fingers for good weather. The wind died down just in time for party-goers to come on over and enjoy some jumping!

Race back in once you get down the slide!

Dane LOVED it!

Brody would not go out without a companion. Perhaps he knew he was too short for this ride?

Just a little bit of basketball....

Brody would not let go!

Come on, Brody!!!

Ok, only with Sami!

Jump, Carter!

Some party-goers doing some serious sitting and arm-crossing.

Samantha staying cool!

More party animals

Brody got a new t-ball stand. Not sure where our previous one is since the flood!

Ready, tongue, hit!

Goofball was putting on a show for all who were watching

Here I go!

Awww, dangit!

Happy Birthday, Brody!!!

Dig in!

Dane picked the one with the absolute most frosting. Is it obvious that they are usually restricted from any and all sugar? Nooooo.

A little post-party private bouncy house activity!

You were a good bouncy house. It even had pirates across the front/top. My favorite!

Thanks to everyone who came to the party or sent/gave Brody a gift! We appreciate you all!!!

the zoo & trip home

Well, somehow these ended up in backwards order,

 but Tuesday, Brody was not feeling so hot and didn't sleep well at all the previous night.

We think he may have been a little constipated from being sedated, which, mixed with switching to 2% milk only from whole, may have been too much for his little tummy at once. :(

Poor little buddy had a rough night and morning, but got in a good loooong mid-day nap, and we decided to venture out once we knew his body was seemingly back to normal.

We made it to Como Zoo Park just in time for their last hour of being open! We walked around and checked out a few of the animals, then made our way back to the Mall of America for some supper and actually do some shopping instead of rides.

Wednesday, our plan was to get up, packed, and going on the road as soon as the boys are up. Thinking we'd probably be on the road by 7:30 or 8 am.

The boys must have heard us discussing and decided to sleep in until 8:30. This is simply unheard of activities for the Voeller boys!!!!! Only happens when it'd be the ONE ACTUAL NICE time to be up early. So, we didn't get on the road until 9:30ish, and having to stop a couple of times for Brody to work some things out of his system again, made for a somewhat long trip home.

We stopped at a rest area to get out and move around, work those legs, and ease some of Brody's discomfort. Both boys were glad to have some time to run around outside.

Tree huggers

Major tree huggers

Dane, proud of his sticks.

I made a 'T'!

witching for water!

Zoo pictures, by the giraffes!

Better view of the giraffe!

Sign about the animals from the Minot zoo! How neat!

Last year at this time, we were here, but had no idea until later that there were Minot animals evacuated to Como Zoo. We gave the bears an update on the Magic City.

Brody, in the polar bear cave. He refused to crawl, instead bent over and scraped his back and head on the ceiling of the cave. Couldn't have hurt too much as he didn't complain of his surgery site hurting!

At the rest stop, playing some unrealistic catch....come on, seriously, can you 2 throw THAT far???

:)

amusement park

Following Brody's procedure, he was feeling pretty good, so once we got some dinner, we decided to hit up some rides in the amusement park at the Mall of America.

First, we all took a ride on the ferris wheel.

Dustin had a REALLY good time!

Dane actually did have a good time. :)

Brody loved it, too!

Then the boys and I took a ride on the carousel. They hung on for their lives. And about halfway through, Brody decided he was freaked out and clung to me while he went up, down, up, down, up, down. THAT was interesting....

We found a train.

Boys on the choo-choo!

Dane and I took a ride on the swings! He giggled from beginning to end, the entire time, with a few extra-loud shreiks mixed in!

The boys drove the big rig semi ride,

and I rode in the back as their 'supervising companion'. :)

Crazy foot!